Machine for filling and otherwise preparing envelopes for post



July 1, 1947. 2,423,146

MACHINE FOR FILLING AND OTHERWISE PREPARING ENVELOPES FOR POSTS.C.AHVERBERT Original Filed April 25, 1939 s Sheets-Sheet 1 July 1,1947- 5. c. HERBERi' MACHINE FOR FILLING AND OTHERWISE PREPARINGENVELOPES FOR POST Original Filed April 25, 1959 5 Shets-Sheet 2 s. c.HERBERT MACHINE FOR FILLING AND OTHERWISE PREPARING ENVELOPES FOR POSTOriginal Filed April 25, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 1, 1947UNITED STATES MACHINE FOR FILLING AND OTHERWISE PREPARING ENVELOPES FORPOST Stanley Charles Herbert, Nunhead, London S. E. 15, England Originalapplication April 25, 1939, Serial No.

269,923. Divided and this application December 15, 1942, Serial No.469,129

14 Claims.

This invention is a modification of the invention described and claimedin the specification No. 2,318,073. The present invention was defined inthe specification filed originally on the application, Serial No.269,923, for Patent No. 2,318,073, but was withdrawn from the saidapplication to form the subject-matter of the present application, whichtherefore bears the relation of a division to the said application,Serial No. 269,923. The present invention has among its objects toprovide a construction of machine for filling the envelopes and tuckingthe flap without first reversing the flap upon the front of theenvelope; to modify the construction and arrangement of the letterthruster mechanism; to modify the construction and mounting of theletter guide fingers; and to modify the assembly of the severalmechanisms comprising the machine.

The invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanyingdrawings.

Figure l is a diagrammatic sectional elevation of a construction of theapparatus according to the invention for operating upon envelopes havingthe flap extended into alignment with the front surface of the envelope.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation, to a larger scale, of the mechanismat the envelope filling position.

Figures 3 and 3a together form an isometric view of the partsrepresented in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an isometric view of the assembly of the envelope flap,clips or grippers and the envelope distending element, from the underside.

Figure 5 is an isometric view of a construction of the assembly of theletter guide fingers.

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of the fiaptucking mechanism. V

In carrying the invention into effect, by wayof example, as applied to amachine in which the flap of the envelope is not reversed upon the frontof the envelope before the filling operation, and as illustrated inFigures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings, the envelopes are fed fromthe magazine in the manner described in the specification No. 2,318,073,with the flap extended and foremost. A simple series of spaced pairs offeed rollers such as 86, 81, and guides, such as 9|, 91, carry anenvelope received from the magazine by the feed rollers 64, 66, 69 andTI to the position at which the envelope is delivered to the fillingmechanism. There is here disposed a fixed guide plate II! of angularcross-section defining the junction of the path of approach of the emptyenvelope fed by the rollers Ill] and III to the filling position and thepath of despatch from the filling position of a charged envelope. Thecomplementary guide plate H6 for the first path abuts upon the envelopereceiving end of the filling table I2I and is there shaped to form anopen channel in which the diverting member to side.

may move angularly about a horizontal pivotal axis immediately below theadjacent edge of the filling table I2i. The diverting member to isformed as a plate extending transversely of the macihne and of a widthnormal to the pivotal axis such that when it occupies the operativeposition under the action of a spring it substantially bridges thechannel from the filling table I2I to the angular guide plate I I1.

The filling table I 2| forms a rearward continuation in a substantiallyhorizontal direction of the complementary guide plate H6 and extendstransversely in a middle position short of the side frames so as toleave a clearance space on each The rearward end of the filling table'I2I is positioned at a distance from the foremost letter feed rollersI80, I 82 such as to provide the space necessary to receive thetable-like element I21 by which the flap of the envelope to be fitted isengaged when the said element is in the filling position. For thispurpose the rearward part of th filling table is continued or formed asa bracket member of L-shaped or similar form that is supported from oneof the transverse tie bars, 5, of the machine frame. In the transversedirection the filling table is of concave form or is provided width adepression or channel that is of the greatest depth at the rear edge ofthe table adjacent the said bracket member and that decreases in theforward direction until at the forward edge it has ceased to exist. a

The mechanism for receiving the flap of the advancing envelope andcarrying the envelope on to the filling table I2I is centered about atransversely disposed main spindle I23 below the filling table andcomprises two supporting arms I 24 pivotallymounted upon the spindle I23in such relation that one of them may extend upwardly in each of theclearance spaces at the sides of the filling table. They support thetransverse table-like element I21 before referred to atsuch an angle tothe length of the arms that when the arms are moved to bring thetable-like element into the gap at the rear of the filling table thetable-like element is aligned with the filling table. The table-likeelement has a transverse shape corresponding to that of the rear edge ofthe filling table. Thus it may have a shallow depression or channel atthe middle of the width and may incline upwardly from the depression orchannel to the lateral edges. The clips or grippers I29 for engagingthe-flap of the envelope are of "a transverse form such that while ofsufficient width to engage the flap-they may pass the angular edge ofthe back of the envelope. They are fixedlycarried upon a, spindle I38mounted 'in the supporting arms I24;- immediately below the outer orrear edge-of the wardly from the spindle I38 over the edge and on to thesurface of the table-like element I21. The spindle I38 also serves tocarry at the middl the envelope distending element I46 which cooperateswith the depression or channel of the table-like element I21 and is of across-sectional shape similar to that of the clips or grippers I29.

The clips or grippers I29 and the distending element I46 are operated incommon by an operating arm I34 fixed to the spindle I38 and connected bya link I33 to a second arm I3I mounted upon a spindle I30 carried in thesupporting arms I24 near the main spindle I23 by which the latter arecarried, the latter spindle supporting a cam I39 adapted to act upon aroller I32 carried by the pivot of the link I33 and the second arm I3 Iwhen the spindle I23 is partially rotated at the appropriate time by theoperating crank arm I40. A spring I34a conveniently acting upon theoperating arm I34 tends always to move the clips or grippers I 29 to theclosed position.

The letter guide fingers I54 and I55 are also supported upon thetable-like element I21 before referred to. For this purpose bracketsI24a, provided as lateral extensions of the supporting arms I24 to theupper side of the table-like element I21, have pivoted to them on thestuds 11. links a to which are pivoted levers b the fulcra of which arerespectively provided upon a spindle I carried by plates or arms pivotedby pivot k upon the supporting arms I24. The free ends of the levers I?carry a transverse spindle p upon which the letter guide fingers I55,I54 are loosely mounted in spaced relation so that they respectivelyrest upon the clips or grippers I29 and the distending element I46. Theplates or arms c are connected by rods d to arms e mounted fixedly uponthe spindle I 30. One of the arms e or an arm also carried by thespindle I 30 supports a roller f which cooperates with a cam g mountedrotatably upon the main spindle I23 and operated by an arm h. Thus, theoperative movement of the cam g causes the plates or arms 0 to move forthe consequential lateral movement of the spindle l forming the fulcraof the levers b so that the levers are moved about their pivotalconnections with the links a to advance or withdraw the letter guidefingers by moving th spindle p. The roller f may be caused to follow thecam 9 under the action of a spring, provided, for example, as a torsionspring upon the spindle I30. The brackets I24a upon the supporting armsI24 may carry, .conveniently in a position substantially parallel withthe tablelike element I21, an upper letter guide plate I88 which whenthe table-like element I21 occupies the filling position comes to lienear to and cooperate with the most advanced pair of letter feed rollersI80, I82.

When the table-like element is in the position to'receive the fiap of anadvancing envelope, as shown in Figure 1, it is inclined inthe'direction of the path of approach of the envelope and its lower orforward edge rests upon and depresses the diverting member w to permitthe envelope to pass the latter.

The table-like element I21 and the parts carrled by it may be balancedabout the main spindle I23 by a counter-weight I242) which mayconveniently extend transversely between the supporting arms I24. Therequired movements of the main spindle I23 and of the supporting armsI24 are effected from a suitable cam or cams through a rod I43,connecting the arm I25 of one of the supporting arms I24 with the arm MIwhich is in fixed relation with the operating arm I44 upon the pivot pinI42.

Since the clips or grippers I29, the distending element I46 and theguide fingers I54, I55 are required to operate with envelopes havingdifferent forms of fiap and of difierent widths, it is advantageous thatthey should be exchangeable for others of forms such that the particularenvelope in use may be suited. Thus, the spindle I38 (Figure 4) uponwhich are mounted the clips or grippers I29 and the distending elementI46 may be of square cross-section except for the turned ends formingthe journals in the supporting arms I24. The angular ends of the clipsor grippers I29 and of the distendin-g element I43 may be bent at rightangles so that they embrace the squared part of the spindle on twosides. The distending element I46 may be secured to the spindle in a midposition by means of a screw I4ea. The clips or grippers I29 may havesecured to them, as by welding, angle fittings I29a which form with theends of the clips or grippers channels in which the spindle is received.The projecting parts of the ends and of the angle fittings may berecessed or notched for the engagement of locking plates I291) securedto the spindle by studs I290 extending through longitudinal slots I29 dtherein to permit movement of the locking places I 29b axially of thespindle, for engagement with or disengagement from the said recesses ornotches. The location apart of the clips or grippers on the spindle isdetermined by the distending element and at the outer ends of thespindle by the operating arm I34 and a locating plate I38a respectively.

The letter guide fingers I54 and I55 may be provided with sleevesslidably to engage the spindle p upon which they are carried and may bemaintained in spaced relation by distance sleeves I540. fixed to thespindle. They may thus be readily exchanged for others on removal of thespindle p from its bearings in the levers b carrying it. For thispurpose the levers are provided with open bearing slots for the spindleand with correspondingly slotted pivoted closure fittings b of channelform to embrace the spindle and the levers b and to be retained in theclosed position, for example, by friction.

Since in the filling position of the envelope, the letter thrustermechanism is required to press forward the letter over the width of theflap before the letter enters the envelope, it is necessary that thearms I93 of the fork-like fittings I94 shall be of corresponding lengthand that they shall have a suitably extended travel. Accordingly, theletter register fitting is modified to permit the operative arms of suchfittings to be disposed above the path of travel of the letters. Forthis purpose the fitting comprises a pair of lever arms I13 (Figure 2)positioned one at each side of the letter guide plates I10, I86, andfulcrummed at the rear ends to the inner frame plates I68. The saidlever arms carry forward of the fulcra the movable feed rollers I15 ofthe first set of feed rollers I15, I16 and in a position above the guideplate I86 and at the forward ends a transverse tie bar I12 from whichthe letter registers proper extend downwardly to protrude through slotsin the upper guide plate I86 when in the operative position. There isthus afforded increased clearance below the guide plate I10 for themovement of the fork-like fittings I94 and their arms I93.

The disposition of the table-like element I21 immediately in advance ofthe foremost pair of letter feed rollers I80, 182, when in the fillingposition renders it advisable to modify the lower guide plates I11, 118,by foreshortening them to the proximity of the said feed rollers andsupporting the lateral guide plates 118 by brackets i180. from the innerframe members and by mounting the middle guide plate 111 as a oanti=lever having support to the rear (Figure 3a).

Since the flap of the charged envelope leaving the filling position hasnot to be straightened the flap straightener may be replaced by simpleguide plates 262a and 20% and the roller 204 may be mounted in a fixedposition in contact with the roller 205.

Where, in the construction of a machine under consideration, the flap ofthe charged envelope has not to be turned from the position in contactwith the front of the envelope, as illustrated in Figure 6 it isconvenient to provide the flap tucking mechanism immediately after thefeed rollers H l, 200 which receive the charged envelope when it isreleased by the clips or grippers I29. Thus the flap tucking mechanismis advantageously set so that the envelope is received in asubstantially horizontal position, the feed rollers 204, 205, whichdeliver it to the flap tucking mechanism, being advantageously set closeto the feed rollers i l I, 230, with the interposition of a pair ofguide plates 202e, the setting being such that the guide plates areadvantageously horizontal; Ne modification of the flap tuckingmechanism,as described in the specification No. 2,318,073, is necessary other thanthe re-arrangement of the operating levers and links required by thepositions of the elements of the mechanism. In Figure 6, the parts ofthe flap tucking mechanism are identified by the reference numeralsapplied to the same parts in the drawings of the specification No.2,318,073. The drive of the roller 243 supported by the brackets orframe plates 244 is effected from a gear wheel on the spindle of theroller 255 by way of the sequence of toothed wheels 225, M9, 220 and22!, and a wheel that is upon the spindle of the gear 2A6 driving a gearwheel on the spindle of the roller 243.

The rocking back fitting comprising the frame members represented by226, and plates 228, 229, the distending mechanism comprising thelateral members represented by 253, and the distending arm 255 and alsothe brackets 233 and the bridge member 235 with the fingers 238 formingthe sup port for the bottom of the envelope are substantially identicalwith the same parts of the construction described in the specificationNo. 2,318,073 and are merely turned as a group through 90. The tuckingfingers 278, 219 and the associated parts are disposed in the positionnecessary for co-operation with the remaining elements of the flaptucking mechanism. On

. completion of the tucking of the flap the envelope is discharged fromthe mechanism by the pressure exerted upon it by the rollers 230 and 2&3in the manner hereinbefore described,

The fiap tucking mechanism may, however, be set in any other'suitableposition so that the charged envelope passes therein in the verticaldirection or at an angle. Similarly, the horizontal or angulardisposition of the said mechanism may be employed in the construction ofmachine described in the specification No. 2,318,073.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for charging envelopes with postal matter and preparingthem for despatch, comprising a filling table, feed mechanism adapted tofeed towards the filling table the envelopes with the flaps extendedforemost, feed mechanism adapted to feed the postal matter towards thefilling table, having the filling table spaced from the postal matterfeed mechanism, a tablelike element of a form and area to support theflap of the envelope and pivoted about an axis transverse to and spacedfrom the filling table, whereby the table-like element is adapted formovement from the envelope-receiving position in juxtaposition to theenvelope feed mechanism and at the outer side of the filling table to aposition in which it is aligned with the filling table in the spacebetween the filling table and the postal matter feed mechanism, envelopefiap gripper elements supported upon and cooperating with the table-likeelement and means for opening and closing the gripper elements when thetab1e-like element is in the receiving position near to the envelopefeed mechanism.

2. Apparatus for charging envelopes with postal matter and preparingthem for despatch, according to claim 1, having the table-like ele mentand the filling table of a cross-sectional shape in which the partsthereof on each'side of a longitudinal middle line incline upwardly andoutwardly.

3. Apparatus for charging envelopes with postal matter and preparingthem for despatch, according to claim 1, having the table-like elementand the filling table of a cross-sectional shap in which the partsthereof on each side of a longitudinal middle line incline upwardly andoutwardly at an angle that increases from near the straight edge of thefilling table in juxtaposition to the envelope feed mechanism.

1. Apparatus for charging envelopes with postal matter and preparingthem for despatch, according to claim 1, having the table-like elementformed along a longitudinal middle line with a shallow channel and thegripper elements supported by the table-like element provided to includean envelope distending element adapted to co-operate with the channel tofiex the flap of and thus to distend an envelope engaged by the gripperelements upon the table-like element.

5. Apparatus for char ing envelopes with postal matter and preparingthem for despatch, according to claim 1, comprising postal matter guidefingers and a spindle supported at a distance from the table-likeelement, upon which the said fingers are rotatably mounted, the saidfingers resting upon the outer sides of the envelope gripper elementsand being moved by the gripper elements when they open and close and thespindle being spaced from the table-like element for the passage of thepostal matter over the gripper elements and under the guide fingers.

6. Apparatus for charging envelopes with postal matter and preparingthem for despatch,

according to claim 1, comprising postal matter guide fingers, a spindleupon which the said fingers are rotatably mounted and links pivoted uponthe table-like element and supporting the spindle so that the spindle istransverse to and spaced from the outer side of the table-like elementand the said fingers are thereby adapted for a limited movement in thelongitudinal direction of the table-like element.

7. Apparatus for charging envelopes with postal matter and preparingthem'for despatch accord ing to claim 1, comprising postal matter guidefingers, a spindle upon which the said fingers are rotatably mounted,brackets upon the table-like element at the respective sides thereof,corresponding bell-crank levers pivoted upon the tablelike element,levers supporting the spindle and having their fulcra upon thebell-crank levers and links connecting the brackets with the saidsupporting levers, whereby a limited movement of rotation of thebell-crank levers efiects a movement of the guide fingers in thelongitudinal direction of the table-like element for the entry of theguide fingers into an envelope the flap of which is engaged by thegripper elements of the table-like element.

8. Apparatus for charging envelopes with postal matter and preparingthem for despatch accord ing to claim 1, comprising postal matter guidefingers, a spindle upon which the said fingers are rotatably mounted,brackets upon the table-like element at the respective sides thereof,corresponding bell-crank levers pivoted upon the tablelike element,levers supporting the spindle and having their fulcra upon thebell-crank levers and links connecting the brackets with the saidsupporting levers, a spindle rotatably mounted parallel to the axis ofrotation of the table-like element, crank arms upon the said spindle,coupling rods connecting the crank arm with the bell-crank levers, and acam co-operating with one of the crank arms whereby a limited move--ment of rotation of the bell-crank levers effects a movement of theguide fingers in the longitudinal direction of the table-like elementfor the entry of the guide fingers into an envelope the flap of which isengaged by the gripper elements of the table-like element.

9. Apparatus for charging envelopes with postal matter and preparingthem for despatch according to claim 1, having gripper elements and anenvelope distending element of angular formation and formed withspindle-engaging part and a spindle for supporting the gripper elementsand the distending element at a position below the outer surface of thetable-like element whereby the angular parts of the gripper elements anddisten'ding element extend around the outer edge of the table-likeelement and the gripper ele ments and distending element liesubstantially parallel with theouter surface of the table-like elementin the closed position.

10. Apparatus for charging envelopes with postal matter and preparingthem for despatch according to claim 1, comprising gripper elements thatare provided of angular formation and formed with recesses ofrectangular cross-section to receive the spindle upon Which they aremounted which spindle also has a rectangular cross-section, and lockingelements for maintaining the gripper elements in position upon thespindle by engagement with slots formed in the walls of the recesses ofthe gripper elements that embrace the spindle.

11. Apparatus for charging envelopes with postal matter and preparingthem for despatch according to claim 1, having postal matter guidefingers provided with cylindrical supporting sockets, a spindle uponwhich the said guide fingers are rotatably supported, the said spindleslidably engaging the sockets of the guide fingers, and supportinglevers for the guide finger spindle carried from the table-like elementand formed with slot-like bearings for the reception of the ends of thespindle.

12. Apparatus for charging envelopes with postal matter and preparingthem for despatch according to claim 1, provided with an envelopediverting member disposed in juxtaposition to the envelope feedmechanism and positioned to "direct a charged envelope moved from thefilling table to a discharge mechanism, the said diverting element beingpivotally mounted and a spring acting upon the diverting element tomaintain it in the normal position, the said spring being overpowered bythe table-like element when the latter is in the position to receive anenvelom from the feed mechanism and the diverting element is required tomove from the normal position.

13. Apparatus for charging envelopes with postal matter and preparingthem for despatch according to claim 1, having a postal matter registerfitting comprising spaced pivoted supports disposed respectively at thesides of guides for the postal matter advancing to the filling table, afeed roller positioned below the guides for the postal matter andcarried by the supports forward of the pivotal axi and a transverseseries of register fingers carried by the support forward of the feedroller for projection into the path of the postal matter and a feedroller of fixed position co-operating with the feed roller upon thesupports.

14. Apparatus for charging envelopes with postal matter and preparingthem for despatch according to claim 1, having an envelope-divertingmember disposed at a position at which an empty envelope is gripped bythe gripper elements to the table-like element a it is advanced by thefeed mechanism to the filling table, a spring acting upon the envelopediverting member to maintain it resiliently in a position to divert acharged envelope from the feed path, pairs of feed rollers receiving thecharged envelope and a flap-tucking mechanism disposed to receive thecharged envelope in a horizontal position from the pairs of feedrollers,

STANLEY CHARLES HERBERT.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Herbert May 4, 1943Number

